# Sam Hughes (footballer)

Samuel Joseph Hughes (born 15 April 1997) is an English footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League One side Peterborough United on loan from EFL League One club Stockport County.
Hughes began his senior career with Chester after joining their youth system in 2012. Following a short loan with Witton Albion, he broke into the first-team in the 2015–16 season. He became the youngest ever captain for Chester and was inducted in their team of the decade, before leaving for Leicester City in 2017. He played regularly for their development team, and was loaned to Salford City in 2019. In 2020, he was loaned to Burton Albion, but his loan was cut short after he suffered a knee injury. He returned to Burton on loan in 2021, but wouldn't play until he recovered from injury in January 2022. His loan was made permanent later that month. He won the Burton Player of the Year award in the 2022–23 season. He left for Stockport County following the expiry of his contract in 2024. However, he struggled for gametime, and joined Peterborough United on loan in January 2025.

## Career
### Chester
#### Early career

Hughes played for Wirral Schoolboys and West Kirby Wasps before joining Chester in 2012, at the age of 15. He joined the Chester academy following a trial. After an impressive pre-season with the first team in 2015, manager Jon McCarthy praised him for his progress.

#### 2015–16 season: Breakthrough

He signed his first professional contract in July. He made his senior debut on 12 September in a 2–0 defeat to Tranmere Rovers. In November, he was sent on a one-month loan to Division One North side Witton Albion. He returned to Chester following 5 appearances. On 16 February 2016, he made his first start for Chester in a 3–0 win over Altrincham. He signed a contract extension in March. He scored his first league goals for Chester on 8 March 2016, scoring a brace in an 8–2 win over Aldershot Town. However, a concussion meant that he missed the last three games of the season. He finished his debut season with 19 appearances and 2 goals, including a run of 12 starts.

#### 2016–17 season: Establishment in first team

   "It’s a massive moment for me, I didn’t expect it one little bit to be honest. The gaffer told me on Thursday after training and said he wanted me to be captain. I am very proud and privileged to be given the opportunity, it’s a massive, massive moment to lead the team out so it was really good."
Hughes came on as a substitute on the opening fixture on 6 August 2016, in a 3–0 defeat to Gateshead. He scored his first goal of the season on 17 September 2016, in a 1–0 win over Braintree Town. Jon McCarthy praised Hughes for his performance after the match. Hughes formed a defensive partnership with Ryan Astles, and had a run of seven clean sheets in a row. An offer from Barnsley was rejected in the January transfer window, which Hughes found "frustrating". On 3 March 2017, he captained Chester in a 3–2 defeat against Tranmere, making him the youngest captain in Chester's history at age 19. He finished the season with 39 appearances and 3 goals. He also won the CFU Player of the Season. He was later inducted in Chester's team of the decade, after making 64 appearances with 8 goals in total with Chester.

### Leicester City

As his contract was expiring in the summer, Chester offered Hughes a new contract. He looked to "explore" his options however, with interest from Championship clubs. He eventually chose Premier League club Leicester City in July 2017, signing a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee in compensation—although it was reported to be around £130,000 including add-ons. The fee was also the biggest in Chester's history after reformation. Leicester signed Hughes to play in their development squad. After suffering an injury in pre-season, he quickly became a regular for the development squad. He had a successful first season with Leicester, captaining the side and also being the top-scorer despite playing centre-back. He also made the bench on two occasions for the first-team, although was an unused substitute. In the summer of 2018, he suffered a stress fracture in his lower back. He was predicted to be out for three-and-a-half months, until October. However, he wouldn't return to action until February 2019, playing in a 1–0 defeat to Derby County.

#### Loan to Salford

Hughes joined newly promoted League Two side Salford City on a season-long loan in September 2019. He made his debut on 7 September in a 2–2 draw to Morecambe. He was recalled by Leicester in January following 10 appearances in all competitions for Salford.

#### First loan to Burton Albion

He extended his contract with Leicester in the summer of 2020. On 9 October 2020, Hughes was loaned to EFL League One club Burton Albion until January 2021. He made his full debut the following day in a 2–0 defeat to Plymouth Argyle. Hughes faced a red card after picking up two yellow cards in a 2–0 defeat to Hull City on 14 November. He scored his first goal for Burton in a 4–2 win against Charlton Athletic on 24 November. He also formed a partnership with fellow defender Michael Bostwick. On 19 December, Hughes was substituted off early in a 3–1 defeat against Doncaster Rovers. After a scan, it was revealed that Hughes had suffered a long-term knee injury, and would return to Leicester for the remainder of the season for treatment. Hughes had made 14 appearances and scored twice before his loan was cut short.

#### Second loan to Burton Albion

On 31 August 2021, it was announced that Hughes had returned to Burton on loan. However, he was still not ready to play, but was in the final stage of rehab. He started his first match for Burton in his second loan spell on 15 January 2022, in a 3–1 win over Gillingham in place of Conor Shaughnessy. It was also his first appearance in over a year, and was hailed by manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for settling in quickly.

### Burton Albion

After making four appearances in his loan, Hughes signed permanently for Burton on a two-and-a-half-year deal on 31 January 2022. He made 21 appearances with 1 goal for Burton in the 2021–22 season, and also had a good disciplinary record with only one yellow card.

#### 2022–23 season

Hughes' first appearance of the 2022–23 season came in the opening match on 6 August 2022, which ended in a 4–0 defeat against Bristol Rovers. He scored his first goal of the season on 25 October in a 2–1 loss against Bolton Wanderers. On 26 December, he scored again in a 3–0 win over Lincoln City. However, although he had played the entire match, it was later revealed that he had sustained an ankle injury, and could be out for three months. He made his return on 28 January 2023, starting in a 2–0 victory over Oxford United. At the end of the season, Hughes had scored 3 times and made 49 appearances, the most he had ever made in a season. He was also named as Burton's Player of the Year, with a club record 40% of the votes.

#### 2023–24 season

Hughes started the season opener on 5 August 2023, in a 2–0 defeat to Blackpool. He sustained a calf injury in October, and made his return on 28 November in a 2–0 loss against Portsmouth. On 10 January 2024, in a 2–1 defeat against Blackpool in the EFL Trophy, Hughes picked up a knock and was substituted off in the first half. He wouldn't play again until 23 March, coming on as a substitute for Aristote Nsiala in a 1–0 defeat against Port Vale. It was also his first appearance under new manager Martin Paterson. The absence of John Brayford saw Hughes captaining the team towards the end of the season. Hughes finished the season with 32 appearances. Since his contract was expiring in the summer, Burton offered him a new contract. However, he wanted "a fresh start, a new challenge" and chose to depart following 117 appearances and 6 goals for Burton.

### Stockport County

On 1 July 2024, it was announced that Hughes had signed for League One club Stockport County on a free transfer, signing a three-year deal. He made his debut in the season opener on 10 August against Cambridge United, which finished in a 2–0 win. He captained Stockport in a 6–1 defeat against Blackburn Rovers in the EFL Cup on 13 August. However, he came off in the first half after taking a knock. He made his return in September against the Everton U21 in the EFL Trophy, but would not play for another month until starting in a 1–1 draw against Northampton Town in October. By January 2025, Hughes had only made three league starts in eight appearances, and was in search of more gametime.

#### Loan to Peterborough United

On 16 January 2025, Hughes joined Peterborough United on a loan until the end of the 2024–25 season. His debut came on 18 January, starting in a 0–0 draw against Leyton Orient and helping Peterborough to their first league clean sheet of the season. Team-mate Carl Johnston hailed Hughes, stating, "Big Sam was a leader out there and a big voice, he was fantastic." He won the January Player of the Month for Peterborough.

## Style of play

Hughes was originally a midfielder before being converted to centre-back in the 2016–17 season. He has been described as "a dying breed – an old school centre-half who wants to get stuck in, head it and kick it". Peterborough describes him as "a good organiser, decent in the tackle and a threat from set-pieces." He is also acclaimed for his aerial ability, standing at 187cm.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 15 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Chester | 2015–16 | National League | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 3 | 25 | 5 |
| Chester | 2016–17 | National League | 36 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 39 | 3 |
| Chester | Total | Total | 55 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 64 | 8 |
| Witton Albion (loan) | 2015–16 | NPL Division One North | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Leicester City | 2017–18 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Leicester City | 2018–19 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leicester City | 2019–20 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leicester City | 2020–21 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Leicester City | 2021–22 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leicester City | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| Salford City (loan) | 2019–20 | League Two | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Burton Albion (loan) | 2020–21 | League One | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 |
| Burton Albion | 2021–22 | League One | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 |
| Burton Albion | 2022–23 | League One | 42 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 49 | 3 |
| Burton Albion | 2023–24 | League One | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
| Burton Albion | Total | Total | 106 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 117 | 6 |
| Stockport County | 2024–25 | League One | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Peterborough United (loan) | 2024–25 | League One | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 192 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 4 | 228 | 15 |
* ↑ Two appearances in FA Trophy, three appearances and three goals in Cheshire Senior Cup
* ↑ Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
* ↑ One appearance in NPL League Challenge Cup, one appearance in Mid Cheshire Cup
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

## Honours

Individual
* Burton Albion Player of the Year: 2022–23